No matter how much you respect a teacher, philosopher, friend or whatever, They Are Not You. They have their way, and you have yours. You might hold hands for a while, but you are always going your own way. This is as true for your friend at work as it is for the most highly respected spiritual teacher.

When this all started for me, I was going my own way, it unfolded naturally and beautifully. Then I found this wonderful forum and was led into this "spiritual community" thing. The companionship was so welcome and I truly appreciate that. But the opinions...God all the opinions state as Fact!!! "This is how it unfolds, step 1 then step 2, then 3 - you're at this step and this step is next" ... oh I thought I was just swimming in the bliss of the Present ... I didn't realise I was meant to do X, Y and Z, I'd better do that as you seem to know what you're talking about. Hmm, this is weird, I'm doing it but it's taking away from all the wonderful experiences I've been having - I'd better try harder! It took a while of struggling through this confusion, a while which was painful and constricting, to realise that I'd been listening to the wrong people. Anyone who wasn't me! That includes Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta, ANYONE IN THE NEO-ADVAITA MOVEMENT!!! (:P) and anyone else you admire (including Angelic Beings or any other non-physical guide).

This isn't to say you can't learn from, respect and love these individuals. They all serve their purposes, for you and for Consciousness as a whole. But that isn't the same as giving your personal responsibility to them. I'm so sick of seeing people quote others as if it is Fact. Truth is individual. Find YOUR TRUTH!

The Spiritual Bullsh*t has to end! Find your very own, beautiful, wonderful, miraculous Truth. It is nothing to fear - You are Beautiful, Incredible, Glorious!

United, we Stand Alone. Alone, we Stand Together.

Choose to be the Solitary Master in the midst of Solitary Masters. Stop quoting Ramana and BE Ramana! Actually...F*&K Ramana! Be YOU!!!

Me too! Rach I'm jealous at how perfect that bingo card is. And Jack, what a great post. YES!! I have always followed my own path and at times I have felt as if I was just being a slacker: those who "really" want to awaken get a guru, etc.

Learn from others but don't try and make their path your own. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoyed your post. Too true! This forum is full of spiritual egos. I have found myself trying to take on some fake position of teacher before. Like my own truth is the way to do it! Pfft. Life is sooooo massive, I am humbled before it. I am always a student of life, forever.
I agree that it is so important to take that leap of faith and trust your own experience. Have faith in yourself and let life guide you in its own special way, tailored just to your needs.

I'm glad the response from this was positive - I was expecting a defensive backlash and was ready to rain down the fires of Heaven!!! (Actually, I think I would have preferred a negative response, all that fire and brimstone sounds like fun ... )

Talking about this opened my throat chakra. I've been feeling a blockage there for a while, a horrible constriction, and getting throat and mouth infections. After writing this I was in a sort of calm rage for a couple of hours. An assertive anger. As I felt my throat opening, like a ball of light (which is how it feels right now - F*&king great! About time you stupid neck!). There had been a huge storm raging at the same time as my own rage (good ole Sky - we're good mates these days) and as it cleared there was a beautiful Sky a can barely describe. I was looking at it in Awe and noticed a shape in the cloud with my Third Eye. A white circle of energy. As I looked at it the whole cluster of clouds it was in went blue. Then the blueness moved into the circle and it became this incredible, circle of swirling blue energy. I was wondering what it was and it hit me - blue --> throat, circle --> chakra. Ah, my throat chakra's opened. It seems that assertiveness (to the point of near-anger) against bullsh*t (especially spiritual bullsh*t!!!) is necessary for me to experience this wonderful lightness and openness in my throat.

The message I'm taking from this is to continue to speak my Truth in opposition to those who would use associations with so-called-spiritual-masters to gain power over others. To stare them in the face and say "No!" you're chatting sh*t! You're creating a whirlpool of unconsciousness and sucking in the vulnerable! Stop acting like you're more conscious than you are! You're deluded! It harms you and others! The most loving things I can do is highlight your delusion. Wake the f*%k up!!!

EnterZenFromThere wrote:
The message I'm taking from this is to continue to speak my Truth in opposition to those who would use associations with so-called-spiritual-masters to gain power over others. To stare them in the face and say "No!" you're chatting sh*t! You're creating a whirlpool of unconsciousness and sucking in the vulnerable! Stop acting like you're more conscious than you are! You're deluded! It harms you and others! The most loving things I can do is highlight your delusion. Wake the f*%k up!!!

Ahhh this feels good - where's Key Master?!

Tough Love,

Jack

lol Jack ... you look like a teenager discovering newly found freedom and entering in rebellion against his parents and society ... too funny ...

"What irritates us about others is an opportunity to learn on ourselves"
(Carl Jung)

Phil2 wrote:lol Jack ... you look like a teenager discovering newly found freedom and entering in rebellion against his parents and society ... too funny ...

That's how I feel. Except when I was a teenager I was insecure and afraid. Now I'm not. Watch out world!

slow ride wrote:Never met anyone I wanted to follow.
Never met anyone I wanted to lead.
Just meet a lot of people who need love.
Just want love to flow.

I don't really understand why you've posted this. To be blunt, it sounds like the BS I've been talking about in this post. Nice sentiment with the love and all, but it's got that feeling of self-superiority and haughty, unattainable and vague mystic-super-spiritual-guy about it. 'You (lowly pleb) may have wanted to follow people and wanted to lead people, but I (mighty enlightened being) have never (strong word) wanted that'. Nice try at selling yourself as a mystic, but I'm not tolerating this crap anymore.

To play devils advocate, and to reiterate what dijmart and you have said, the bumping and grating of perspectives and points of view in this forum have shaped my own perspective. I think that even the stuff I don't agree with works it's way in and broadens. The things I was exposed to on this forum are closely related to some of the most important growth points in my life.

It's the rock tumbler of life and hopefully we come out polished. I don't think it ever stops.

Onceler wrote:I think that even the stuff I don't agree with works it's way in and broadens. The things I was exposed to on this forum are closely related to some of the most important growth points in my life.

It's the rock tumbler of life and hopefully we come out polished. I don't think it ever stops.

I totally agree. But simultaneous to this acceptance of all as the delicious Oneness that broadens perspective with the 'good' and the 'bad' seen without judgement and instead enjoyment, love and peace - there is also a discernment of what I choose or do not choose to align with. Slow Ride's post is a great example, as I choose not to align with it, but I also love him for giving me an opportunity to test my new found assertiveness (that and I am experimentally aware of our inter-connectedness as separate aspects of the same unifying Oneness Entity of the Present Moment). Life, it seems, is a delicate dance between general appreciation/love and specific choice/discernment. The apparent paradox being possible due to the multi-perspective nature of existence.

So, in a general sense, I love you all. Deeply. You are my Heart. But, in a specific sense, how can I be that love without sincerity? If I see someone harming themselves and others should I just say "it's OK, we are all One, I love you" and stand by idly? No! I say "stop!" my dear friend! You're hurting yourself! You're hurting us all! It may not seem like love but I know that it is because I feel my body Radiate with the Love of Life.